Monday

5th Jun 2023

France blocks start of Turkey eurozone talks

  • France is blocking Turkey on its path to the EU (Photo: European Commission)

Despite earlier plans by the German EU presidency to open talks on three EU integration areas with Turkey by the end of June, European diplomats have given the red light to talks with Ankara on the eurozone rules chapter, following opposition from France.

Just days before wrapping up its six-month term at the EU's chair, Germany will on Tuesday (25 June) preside over a meeting with representatives of both Turkey and Croatia to formally launch talks on two and six negotiating chapters, respectively, out of 35 areas.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The European Commission earlier presented its reports on three Turkey chapters - statistics, financial control and economic and monetary union - but the euro package was dropped from the agenda of the diplomats' meeting on Monday.

"The French delegation asked for more time to study the EU's position," one EU diplomat said, adding that Paris generally takes more time for detailed evaluation of enlargement reports.

"Even its approval of the two other Turkey chapters took longer than expected and that's why the mandate for German presidency to launch talks on them could only be agreed at a special meeting, just a day before the gathering with Turkish representatives."

The European Commission refused to comment on the issue, washing its hands of responsibility for the delay by claiming it had tabled necessary documents and that it is now up to member states and the presidency country to decide on the timetable.

The move by France has been expected following the new French president Nicolas Sarkozy's open remarks about the need to change the official mandate of negotiations with Turkey and its reference to their ultimate goal - from EU membership to a "privileged partnership" with the union, an idea Turkey strongly rejects.

During his visit to Brussels late last month, Mr Sarkozy confirmed that his country was ready to re-open the issue once the EU agrees on the new treaty to follow the disputed constitution, a feat which the bloc's leaders managed over the weekend.

Back in May, he suggested the union should have a debate on its final borders and sum up its analysis at the December EU summit, while stressing, "I don't think that Turkey has a place in the Union."

Last December, the EU cut off talks with Ankara on eight areas directly connected with the bloc's customs union due to its reluctance to open ports and airspace to Cypriot ships and planes.

New EU treaty sparks question marks

Unlike Turkey, Croatia is fast ticking off the areas covered by EU legislation, with six more chapters to be added on Tuesday to the other six already launched.

Zagreb aims to see 20 chapters opened by the end of this year and the whole process completed in early 2009 at the latest.

But last week's deal by EU leaders on the new treaty to modify the bloc's rules and procedures has sparked some question marks over future enlargements.

While both the European Commission and German chancellor Angela Merkel insisted the new treaty - set to be finalised by the Intergovernmental conference to be convened on 23 July - would make the bloc's expansion possible, it is not clear how enlargement will be affected by the provisions on the EU voting system.

Due to Polish pressure, the bloc agreed to keep the current Nice Treaty system in place effectively until 2017, without clarifying how the number of votes for EU newcomers would be calculated.

But the European Commission's spokesman on Monday (24 June) played down such concerns, arguing that it will be possible to adapt the Nice mechanism for future entrants.

"Once you have opted for certain mechanisms it is a question of their adaptation. But when will these questions arise will depend on the negotiations [with the concrete countries]," he added.

MEPs to urge block on Hungary taking EU presidency in 2024

"This will be the first time a member state that is under the Article 7 procedure will take over the rotating presidency of the council," French Green MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, the key lawmaker on Hungary, warned.

European Parliament scales back luxury MEP pension fund

The European Parliament's Bureau, a political body composed of the president and its vice-presidents, decided to slash payouts from the fund by 50 percent, freeze automatic indexations, and increase the pension age from 65 to 67.

WhoisWho? Calls mount to bring back EU directory

NGOs and lobbyists slammed the EU commission for removing contact details of non-managerial staff from its public register, arguing that the institution is now less transparent.

Exclusive

MEP luxury pension held corporate assets in tax havens

While the European Parliament was demanding a clamp down on tax havens, many of its own MEPs were using their monthly office allowances to finance a luxury pension scheme that held corporate assets in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and elsewhere.

Column

What a Spanish novelist can teach us about communality

In a world where cultural clashes and sectarianism seems to be on the increase, Spanish novelist Javier Cercas (b.1962) takes the opposite approach. He cherishes both life in the big city and in the countryside.

Opinion

Poland and Hungary's ugly divorce over Ukraine

What started in 2015 as a 'friends-with-benefits' relationship between Viktor Orbán and Jarosław Kaczyński, for Hungary and Poland, is ending in disgust and enmity — which will not be overcome until both leaders leave.

Latest News

  1. Subcontracting rules allow firms to bypass EU labour rights
  2. Asylum and SLAPP positions in focus This WEEK
  3. Spanish PM to delay EU presidency speech due to snap election
  4. EU data protection chief launches Frontex investigation
  5. Madrid steps up bid to host EU anti-money laundering hub
  6. How EU leaders should deal with Chinese government repression
  7. MEPs pile on pressure for EU to delay Hungary's presidency
  8. IEA: World 'comfortably' on track for renewables target

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us